Question Sidemount rebreather as a first rebreather

[Marie13]

Too bad, so sad. Go away!

 

[Vevera]

I took the "non recommended" path of having SM CCR as my first unit. I am mostly diving SM on OC. I was choosing between SF2 SM, Triton and Choptima. I had 3 hours on Defender and 1 hour on Triton within discover CCR classes when I seriously considered starting CCR diving. My top priority was air travel friendly unit, second priority was cave diving readiness of the unit. Several people strongly discouraged me from buying any unit before I finish MOD1. I know that some instructors will strongly disagree with that advice but I don't regret excluding those people from my potential instructor list, it saves you a lot of money if you are unhappy with your unit choice or CCR diving in general.

My first MOD1 course was SF2 SM. I expected it to be hard but the reality was even worse, I felt like the unit is diving me and not the other way around. If the environment condidions were more challenging I would certainly have given up and have drunk beer on the beach with my instructor instead. At the end of the course I tamed the unit somehow. I decided that I take Choptima course as well. The main reason was that it is difficult to take 2 SM bailout tanks with SF2 and I see this as a big disadvantage for cave diving. Maybe in distant future SF2 SM will become my bailout CCR if I need one.

I did a crossover to Choptima very soon after that. I was lucky that I found an instructor teaching in Europe who could schedule a course soon, lack of instructors close to my location was the biggest drawback of Choptima. I felt like I am diving from the first moment in the water. Of course my skills were far froom my OC level but still I was diving and not taming a dragon. I bought the unit during the course.

Now after ca 70 hours on Choptima I am still happy with my choice. The unit adds only few centimeters to my profile compared to two SM S80s and I can unclip and "superman" it easily in tighter restrictions. I recommend to buy the skid plate as well for cave diving to protect the cover.

Edit: I definitely don't regret taking SF2 SM course, it speeded up my learning curve on Choptima and was valuable for my development as a CCR diver.

 

[jont2]

I read a number of threads about sidemount rebreathers and how the general consensus is that its best to start with a back mounted unit. Now, I am not planning to get a rebreather in the near-term future, but I am reading and learning about them so here comes the question:

Often, a SM rebreather is discussed within the context of the SW, so is the recommendation to start with a back mounted unit comes from all the SW-specific quality issues, or is it coming from some inherit problems that all SM rebreathers have? Perhaps a mix of the two? (ex. 80% SW quality issues, 20% SM rebreathers design issues)?

And just to add more context, I am interested in rebreathers for cave diving, not deep diving (the deepest I have been to is 50m and unless Atlantis is found, I don't think I will surpass that depth).

HI, Its a good question and I think the advise you've been given makes sense. I started SM RB diving in 2015, rebreather diving long before that. SM breathers are very fickle, it took me a good 8 months to get ME and the Breather where I wanted us to be. The slightest shift in position can cause drastic changes in WOB, comfort, balance, etc. On longer dives even spindle can become very annoying.

I think it's important to develop a good understanding of rebreathers and get practical experience before going down the SM route. You're asking for trouble otherwise.

The ONE exception I'll note is a KISS Sidewinder (I own one). Although it's not a TRUE SM breather (it's more of a hybrid unit) for 95% of SM divers and the goals of SM divers it will work. The unit out of the box trims out amazingly well and its very simple to dive.